FAQ for New Writers
How do I find a publisher?
The various market guides
list all the publishers who deal with children's books. Make sure you
only approach those who publish the type of book you write - you can find
this out by browsing in your local library and bookshops and by requesting
publisher's catalogues.
Which do I do first - find the publisher or write the book?
That depends what you are writing. For non-fiction, you send a synopsis
and sample material to publishers before you write the book. For
fiction, you write the book first and then sell it.
Can I send my book to more than one publisher at a time?
The traditional system has always been to submit to one publisher
at a time but, as some of them are taking as long as a year to reply,
multiple submissions now make sense and are recommended by the Society
of Authors.
How do I find an illustrator?
You don't have to. If a publisher likes your book, they will find a suitable
illustrator for it. It's not a good idea to get your Auntie Muriel to
do the pictures for you unless she is a professional artist.
Do I have to have an agent?
No. It can be harder to find an agent than it is to find a publisher,
especially if you haven't had anything published. Many writers sell their
first book themselves and quite a few continue to work without an agent.
Type it double spaced on A4 paper (one side of the paper only) with wide
margins. Number the pages and put your name and the name of your book
on each one. If you need to include ideas for pictures, make sure it is
easy to tell which words are text and which are not. (I use italics for
comments about artwork but this is not the only way to do it.)
How do I submit a manuscript?
Send it with a brief covering letter to a named editor. You can
find out the name by phoning the publisher and asking. For a long book,
it is best to only send the first three chapters and a synopsis with an
offer to send the rest if they are interested. Use a big enough envelope
so you don't have to fold it and include a SAE for its return. Then
get on with writing something else - it will be a long time before you
hear anything.
What happens if they want to publish my book?
They will make you an offer - usually a percentage royalty on each copy
sold with a chunk of money paid up front as a non-returnable advance.
(You don't get paid any more until the book has earned that amount of
money.) Some publishers, especially educational ones, offer a flat fee
instead of royalties. This is usually acceptable if your story is going
to be part of an anthology but you can try asking for royalties instead
if you have written the whole book. Once you've been made an offer, you
are allowed to join the Society of Authors who can vet the
final contract for you (a very useful service if you haven't got an agent).
A publisher says my book is wonderful but they can only afford to
publish if I pay them. What should I do?
Run. If your book is that good, you'll find someone who'll risk their
own money to produce it.
I am thinking of self-publishing my book. Is this a good idea?
Self publishing is more viable than it used to be but it is still a risky
venture and not one I would recommend. Getting the book printed is only
part of the battle. You then have to sell it - a difficult task which
consumes writing time and costs more money. Think very carefully before
you go down this route.
Can you recommend a good book on writing for children?
There are several on the market. You'll find some reviews to help
you choose on our bookshelf page.
© Diana Kimpton
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